Falling
by SerpentineShadows
Summary: Highschool/College AU. Nico's got a crush, but he gives up on his crush ever liking him back once they graduate. Now he's in college with a roommate that likes to play matchmaker.
1. Prologue

Percy's the popular guy, and he likes Annabeth, the smart, beautiful girl. Of course Nico knows him; he just doesn't know Percy well. That all changes after Bianca dies in a car accident. People–even the ones he doesn't know–offer him their condolences. It annoys him. He'd rather go unnoticed.

Then, a week later, after most people have calmed down, Percy approaches him. Nico sighs, waiting for the pitying to start. Except it doesn't. Percy just claps him on the back, says, "I feel you, man," and walks away.

Nico feels his heartbeat quicken.

* * *

By the time he was in high school, Nico was comfortable with being gay (though he didn't flaunt it). Bianca had helped, and now she was gone.

A week after Percy talks to him, Nico stands to the side at the funeral. It's not even raining; in fact, the sun's shining and birds are chirping. His eyes remain emotionless as he stares at the stupid grave. If he could, he'd raise the dead for Bianca. But he can't. So Nico sits on the grass hours after the funeral ends, heart aching while he stares at the sky. Waiting for it to rain. It never does.

A warm, strong hand lands on his shoulder. It's Percy with the most dazzling smile Nico's ever seen on his face. He doesn't know why, but the pain in his heart skyrockets.

Percy's understanding smile and the offer to watch a movie together lift Nico's spirits. Even after enjoying himself, Nico's heartache and dismal thoughts return.

* * *

Two years later, they're in their senior year. Nico doesn't know how, but Percy's managed to worm his way into Nico's heart. Nico's managed to keep his sexuality a secret, but he's not sure how much longer he can hold out. _Jason Grace_, yet another popular guy, found out, and Nico thinks Percy's a thousand times more perceptive. He's annoyed by the constant worry and Jason's sudden concern for him. Nico's also sure that Jason pities him. Why? He doesn't know, especially since Jason doesn't know about Bianca (or maybe he does). Either way, Nico's mood plummets whenever Jason's around, which Percy takes notice of.

"Why do you hate Jason so much?"

"I don't."

And the conversation ends like that.

* * *

Nico knows Percy and Annabeth like each other. They'd be perfect together, so Nico doesn't understand why it hurts to think of those two being intimate.

Still, Nico watches as the two dance around each other. They almost-kiss, brush hands, and hang out. In Nico's eyes, they're already a couple. They go around in circles so much it bores Nico. He doesn't think anymore of their relationship.

At least, he wishes that was the case.

* * *

The night before graduation, Nico is smashed. Empty bottles litter the floor, but with no one to scold him, he just keeps on drinking.

Then, Percy comes over and looks at the sight before him. It takes a while for Percy to wrench the bottle from Nico and tuck him into bed.

Nico's almost unconscious when he grabs Percy and smashes their lips together. Before passing out, Nico thinks Percy tastes like the sea.

Percy leaves that night, his head crowded with more questions than when he came.

* * *

Nico remembers the kiss and hates himself for it. He wants to ask Percy about it, but he hasn't seen him all day.

Nico's in for a surprise when they're on the stage. Percy grabs the microphone when it's his turn to speak, faces the graduates, and says (a light blush dusting his cheeks): "Annabeth Chase, please go out with me."

There are catcalls and whistles and cheers, and Nico thinks he hears Annabeth's whispered answer ("Of course, Seaweed Brain!"). It all doesn't matter to Nico. His heart hurts as he scrambles away. Now–when he finally knows why his heart's been hurting–Percy confesses. What excellent timing.

Nico tries to think of the positive. At least he's got his answer without confessing. At least Percy's happy.

But it still hurt to think Percy chose Annabeth over him.

* * *

**A/N:** Poor Nico. He's my favorite character. Anyway, this was written on a whim. If anyone wants me to "expand" this, just tell me and I'll try (just don't expect anything soon).

**EDIT:** Finally got around to adding stuff. It only took, like, half a year. I think I'll change this chapter and add a lot more to it when I finish this story. Just don't expect anything soon again.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey, look, I updated. To be fair, I mentioned I'd probably take forever. Anyway, thank you all reviewers/favoriters, especially **DaughterofHades268** for helping me decide where to start. And here's to hoping everyone has a happy New Year's (Eve).

* * *

Jason wakes to the slam of a door. It's such a regular occurrence, he isn't even startled. Keys hit the wall—a sign that his roommate's frustrated—prompting a "Hey!" from next door. Jason catches his roommate's heavy sigh and listens as feet stomp to the other bed.

_CRREAAAKK!_

As the bed squeals loudly, Jason grins. It's obvious Nico's made no effort to be considerate; in fact, he's doing the opposite. Faking a sigh, Jason climbs out of his bed and toward Nico's.

"What's wrong?"

"You set me up," Nico growls, a pout replacing his frown.

This is also a conversation that happens far too often to be healthy.

"Look, Nico—"

"'It's time for you to move on. Don't you think, like, two years is enough for you to forget about him and live a little?'" Nico says, rolling his eyes. "That's what you were going to say, right? I appreciate the sentiment, but stay out of my personal life, Grace."

Jason's a bit stunned, as usually Nico pretends to listen to his half-hearted lectures about moving on from high school crushes, but he's also a bit thankful that this conversation isn't going to be the same as all the others.

"You're the one who's waking me up at midnight to complain about a date." After a moment, he adds: "Okay, we've been rooming together since graduation. Why can't you tell me why you're so hung up about Percy or, I don't know, how he rejected you?"

There's silence. As he waits for Nico to respond, Jason tries to judge Nico's reaction through his features. Nico's still pouting in a way that reminds Jason of a grumpy teddy bear.

Jason's sure that Nico looked like this after Percy's rejection, and he's wondering how Percy could have ignored the urge to apologize and hug Nico until he stopped being broody. Jason talked with Percy a few times during high school—enough to know he's not a jerk—which makes the situation all the more confusing. Of course, there was Annabeth, and Annabeth's nice and all, but—

"Do you really want to know?"

Nico's voice is a bit small, like a little kid's. It makes Jason angry at Percy for hurting Nico, but he can't really stay mad at Nico's crush, especially not now. Jason's response is important to Nico, even if he won't admit it, because he's going to _talk about his feelings_ for once to someone he couldn't even stand a couple years ago.

So, Jason nods, saying that it'll help Nico to let out his bottled-up feelings. It's silent again in their room, and Jason feels a bit awkward. He's not sure if he's playing the part of comforting-friend correctly because he's not the one that's an expert at these things; love and relationships is more Piper's area of expertise, but Nico's his friend and Jason can afford to listen to his lovesick confession at 1 AM. Besides, talking is better than nothing, right?

"You know my sister died, and suddenly a lot of people were apologizing, like it was their fault or something."

Of all the places Nico could've started off, Jason feels like this is the worst one. He's not really sure if Nico's gotten over his sister's death yet, and he doesn't really know if Nico needs some comforting words or maybe some food. In the end, Jason settles for patting Nico's back in the most awkward way possible.

"Percy basically did the same thing but in a different way. It was like, he was saying he understood, but he didn't try to feed me some insincere apology. I guess that I became interested in him, and then we were friends. Somewhere along the way, I fell for him."

Nico pauses, and Jason waits as Nico looks down at his feet. It's like Nico's shy and scared of what Jason will think of him. Jason's not used to seeing this side of Nico, and it's definitely one he'll be glad to never see again. Nico wrings his hands and takes in a deep breath.

"I didn't want to tell him when I realized it because, well, it's weird, you know? And he had—has—Annabeth." Nico's voice becomes quieter as he tells the next part. "I got drunk the night before graduation. I remember that Percy came around, and I think, I think that I kissed him. And then at graduation, he asked out Annabeth."

Jason remembers that day, remembers catcalling with a bunch of other boys. He thinks of how he'd figured out Nico's most precious secret and tries to recall if he'd comforted Nico that day. No matter how hard he tries to remember, he doesn't. Jason's pretty sure he didn't even talk to Nico during graduation. It makes him feel more than a little guilty, seeing as he'd pestered Nico to confess for the longest time but he hadn't been there for Nico—or even thought of his crush, really—when Percy declared his affection for Annabeth.

"Aren't you supposed to be comforting me or something? You kinda suck at this," Nico says after a while.

And yeah, it's true because Jason really could've just been a brick wall with how little he's got to say about Nico's story. He settles with saying: "Hey, I'm not the one you're supposed to go to for this romantic stuff. That's all Piper."

Nico smiles a little at that and punches Jason in the arm (it actually hurts even though Nico's a lot smaller than him).

"So, I basically hand my heart over to you, and you're telling me I should've given it to your girlfriend."

"Basically, yeah."

Nico lets out a bark of laughter at that, and Jason smiles because Nico's the best when he's happy and not lamenting what could, or should, have been.

* * *

**A/N:** People who are following _Unreachable_: if you don't look at the profile, it's Shadows's turn to write the next chapter. And to be honest, she forgot about it. And to be honest again, I forgot the title. But it will be updated. I will annoy Shadows until she writes the next chapter.


End file.
